The present invention relates generally to floors, and more particularly to a flooring system and to a method for installing a flooring system.
Conventional flooring systems include flooring systems installed on a grid-like flooring support. Conventional home flooring systems include those having a plywood substrate attached by nails from above to a floor-joist flooring support wherein tongue-and-groove hardwood floor panels are attached by nails from above to the plywood substrate. Conventional mezzanine flooring systems provide one or more floor levels between the main floor and the main ceiling and are used, for example, in warehouses. The mezzanine floor is used by people and carts or pallet jacks to store goods on, and remove goods from, one or more shelf levels accessible from the mezzanine floor.
A known mezzanine flooring system includes corrugated metal roof decking (xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d deck) attached to a structural mezzanine substructure or a rack flooring support at a height above a main floor wherein tongue-and-groove wood-product flooring panels are attached by screws from above to the corrugated metal roof decking. If the screw head protrudes above the top surface of the wood-product flooring panel, a tripping hazard is created. If the screw head is countersunk in the top surface of the wood-product flooring panel, a dirt-collector recess is created.
One known alternate attachment uses screws from underneath the corrugated metal roof decking wherein the screws are screwed through the corrugated metal roof decking and into the wood-product flooring panels without penetrating the top side in-the wood-product flooring panels. Such underneath screw attachment provides a smooth top surface for the wood-product flooring panels but, such panels can become loose due to foot and cart traffic on the top side of the wood-product flooring panels. Screwing through corrugated metal roof decking from underneath the metal decking creates falling hot metal shavings which pose a safety concern to the installers. The screw tip provides no holding power. Screws are difficult to install properly. Misalignment of the screw lessens its holding power in the floor panel. Failure to seat the screw head on the underside of the metal decking fails to create a rigid attachment of the floor panel to the metal decking. Spinning the screw excessively while seated on the underside of the metal decking removes wood from the flooring panels lessening the screws holding power in the floor panel. Weight must be applied to the top of the floor panel for the installation of each screw. Topside screwing into the floor panel deforms the floor panel at the screw hole preventing reuse of the floor panel.
What is needed is an improved flooring system and an improved method for installing a flooring system.
A first expression of an embodiment of the invention is for a flooring system and includes a first floor member, a second floor member, and a radially expandable fastener (such as a rivet). The first floor member has a lower surface and an upper surface and has a through hole extending from the lower surface to the upper surface. The second floor member has a bottom side and a top side and has a non-through hole extending from the bottom side toward the top side. The second floor member is positioned above the first floor member with the non-through hole aligned with the through hole. The radially-expandable fastener (such as a rivet) extends through the through hole and into the non-through hole securing the second floor member to the first floor member.
A first method of the invention is for installing a flooring system and includes steps a) through e). Step a) includes obtaining a first floor member having a lower surface and an upper surface and having a through hole extending from the lower surface to the upper surface. Step b) includes obtaining a second floor member having a bottom side and a top side. Step c) includes positioning the second floor member above the first floor member. Step d) includes creating a non-through hole extending from the bottom side toward the top side of the second floor member. Step e) includes installing a radially-expandable fastener (such as a rivet) in the first and second floor members, wherein the radially-expandable fastener (such as a rivet) extends through the through hole and into the non-through hole securing the second floor member to the first floor member.
Several benefits and advantages are derived from the first expression of an embodiment and/or the first method of the invention. In the rivet embodiment of the radially-expandable fastener with a metal embodiment of the first floor member and a non-metal embodiment of the second floor member, the barrel of the installed rivet is circumferentially expanded over its uninstalled state to radially engage the wall of the non-through hole of the second floor member and the head of the installed rivet longitudinally engages the lower surface of the first floor member which secures the second floor member to the first floor member in a strong and durable attachment which is able to withstand floor traffic from people, carts, and pallet jacks on the top side of the second floor member. The use of a blind rivet from underneath the first and second floor members leaves the secured second floor member with a smooth top surface without any protruding tripping hazards and without any dirt-collecting recesses.
Installation of the radially-expandable fastener does not create falling hot metal shavings. In the rivet embodiment, the complete length of the barrel of the rivet provides holding power, the rivets are easy to install properly without misalignment and without under or over installation problems. Weight is applied to the top of the floor panel for the installation of only a few rivets to seat the second floor panel. The rivets do not pierce the top surface of the second floor member allowing for reuse of the second floor member.